“Creed” approaches a 40-year-old franchise that’s gone the distance — Sylvester Stallone‘s saga of Philadelphia boxer Rocky Balboa — from an admirably different perspective: that of Rocky’s late rival/friend Apollo Creed’s son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), who has his own boxing dreams and knows just the mumbling Philly warhorse to help him achieve them.

A Balboa-Creed reunion of sorts, after Apollo’s mid-match demise three movies ago in 1985’s “Rocky IV,” the film also reteams Jordan with his “Fruitvale Station” writer-director, Ryan Coogler.

But that one-two punch of expectations — energizing a franchise and burnishing the acclaim heaped upon “Fruitvale” — seems to have gotten the best of Coogler, so that “Creed” emerges as a reverent entry but never a truly refreshed one.

The opening suggests thematic promise, showing us a 13-year-old Adonis Creed, a foster-home hopper in juvenile detention, walloping a fellow inmate. Coogler and co-screenwriter Aaron Covington’s sharp character notion is that Adonis, an illegitimate child who entered the world after Apollo’s death, has a hole to fill from never knowing his famous dad. Apollo’s widow, Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad), adopts him, and he grows up in luxury, but as a young man on a career track in finance (when Jordan takes over), he’d rather secretly box in Tijuana, where he racks up a 15-0 record, and study his dad’s fights on YouTube.

Spurned by L.A. trainers who scoff at his self-taught status, Adonis decamps to the City of Brotherly Love and tracks down the Italian Stallion, still running the restaurant he named after deceased wife Adrian and wary about playing Mickey (Burgess Meredith’s father-figure trainer in the original “Rocky”) to another kid with something to prove. That reticence doesn’t last long once Rocky is convinced he sees Apollo’s talent in Adonis, and the training and motivational platitudes kick in. (“That’s your toughest opponent,” Rocky says to Adonis’ reflection in the mirror.)

The biggest irony about “Creed” is that what’s missing inside Adonis is a nagging question mark for the movie, too. Carl Weathers’ Apollo Creed was a galvanizing force in the first four “Rocky” movies, but without him here, save the odd snippet of boxing footage, “Creed” creates a strange distance between the brassy, entertaining cockiness of Weathers’ performance, as fondly remembered by moviegoers, and the necessity of his absence being a driving force for Adonis. Though Jordan hits plenty of solid chip-on-his-shoulder notes in his portrayal of someone wondering whether his name is a blessing or a curse, the movie is like a ghost story without a ghost. (Although you do learn who won that private Rocky-Apollo bout that closes “Rocky III.”)

None of this would have mattered had Adonis been written with a personality equal to Apollo’s or Rocky’s, but Coogler and Jordan fall short of making the youngster as compelling a figure. The mechanical parts of the story don’t serve Jordan’s natural charisma the way “Fruitvale” jazzed everyday moments. By now, Stallone wears Rocky like a favorite tracksuit, and he’s a believably older version of his good-hearted underdog. But his scenes with Jordan, rather than being organically warm, feel dictated by formula.

But even as a standard issue path-to-identity sports movie, “Creed” has its undeniable pleasures when that bell rings. Coogler’s fight scenes, augmented by Jordan’s commanding physique and cinematographer Maryse Alberti’s nimble cinematography, boast a fleet, visceral immediacy, with Adonis’s debut U.S. bout thrillingly choreographed and shot as one circling, ducking, weaving take.

And while the movie’s big showdown opponent, a Liverpudlian bruiser named “Pretty” Ricky Conlan, may not have the cartoony heft of Mr. T’s or Dolph Lundgren‘s ’80s-era foes, real-life heavyweight champ Anthony Bellew’s perma-snarl performance is grin-worthy.

“Creed” doesn’t forget to pay homage to “Rocky” touchstones, either: the iconic steps outside the Philadelphia Museum of Art get a sweet, poignant nod at the end, and Bill Conti’s soaring fanfare makes an appearance. But an attempt at giving Adonis his own training montage crescendo, surrounded during a street run by bikers doing wheelies, doesn’t quite work.

Few longstanding franchises have been so personally tended to as the “Rocky” movies, with Stallone variously lauded and vilified for scattershot handling of his own beloved American loser-turned-hero. If 2006’s correctively quieter, old-school charming “Rocky Balboa” felt like a fitting close to an invariably overextended series, you can see why this entry — the first one not written by Stallone — suggested a reason to continue. But instead of playing like the first of a series of Adonis Creed movies, “Creed” never rises above being one more by-the-numbers “Rocky” retread.

17 of the Most Dramatic Sports Movie Moments: From 'Rocky' to 'McFarland, USA' (Photos)

“McFarland, USA” (2015)Kevin Costner follows up a string of beloved sports films, including “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham,” with a drama about a cross-country team at a predominantly Latino high school. The film, directed by Niki Caro and produced by Gordon Gray and Mark Ciardi, has real legs as coach Jim White leads the Central Valley runners to the state championships.

“Rocky” (1976)In the ultimate underdog story, newcomer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) gets a shot at the world heavyweight title against champ Apollo Creed. Rocky proves he has the goods, going the entire 15 rounds against Creed, but loses in a split decision. Rocky would get a rematch though and win the title in “Rocky II”.

“Hoosiers” (1986)In what is widely considered one of the greatest sports movies of all time, “Hoosiers” follows a small town high school basketball team as they make it all the way to the state finals. They play a bigger and more athletic team in the finals, but with a last second shot pull off the surprise victory.

“Remember the Titans” (2001)Based on the true story of Virginia’s first integrated high school football team (led by coach Denzel Washington), the Titans not only change the views of an entire town, but they go undefeated on their way to a thrilling state championship against an all-white team.

“Chariots of Fire” (1981)Two Englishmen push each other to be the best sprinter at the 1924 Olympics. While they won gold on the big screen’s racetrack, “Chariots of Fire” would go on to win Oscar gold for best picture.

"Field of Dreams" (1989)Kevin Costner was at his finest as an Iowa farmer in the fantasy drama that sparked the iconic line, "If you build it, they will come." When deceased baseball players including Shoeless Joe Jackson come to life, sports fans of all ages get goosebumps.

“The Fighter” (2010)David O. Russell‘s Oscar-winning picture depicted boxer Mickey Ward’s (Mark Wahlberg) climb up the ranks from middling contender to a shot at the title. The final fight shows the grit and heart that it took for Ward to win the belt.

“Million Dollar Arm” (2014)Based on a true story, this underdog tale follows Jon Hamm as J.B. Bernstein, a down-on-his-luck sports agent, who goes to India to find the next big thing in baseball among its millions of aspiring cricketers. While the two hopefuls he brings back to the U.S., Dinesh and Rinku, face their fair share of foul balls along the way, they are eventually offered contracts by the Pittsburgh Pirates.

“Miracle” (2004)In perhaps one of the greatest upsets in sports history, a team of U.S. college hockey players defeated the Soviet Union, the three-time defending gold medal winner and best team in the world, during the Cold War.

“Friday Night Lights” (2004)The film that spawned the critically acclaimed TV series (which in turn may spawn a film of its own) is memorable in that its featured team doesn’t win the championship. The Permian Panthers mount a great comeback, but come up one yard short of the state title.

“A League of Their Own” (1992)“A League of Their Own” proved that girls can play baseball, and ends in a play at the plate that determines the championship. Geena Davis’ Rockford Peaches may lose that final game, but as Tom Hanks taught us, “there is no crying in baseball!”

“Moneyball” (2011)Baseball statistics and analytics might not be the sexiest of topics, but it all heats up when you have Brad Pitt playing Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane, who hires an Ivy League grad (Jonah Hill) to revive his failing team on a tight budget. Their number crunching and unique scouting style come to fruition during a nail-biting game against the Kansas City Royals in September 2002.

“Warrior” (2011)Mixed martial arts continues to rise in popularity and offered the perfect backdrop for two estranged brothers (Tom Hardy and Joel Edgerton) to hammer out their differences in the most cathartic way possible in Gavin O’Connor’s “Warrior.” They meet in the final match of a winner-take-all tournament.

“The Natural” (1984)Robert Redford plays middle-age rookie Roy Hobbs in “The Natural.” Hobbs leads his team to a championship on his final at-bat when he launches the most famous home run in movie history. Thus proving the unspoken rule in baseball: if you break the lights you win the game.

“Major League” (1989)Charlie Sheen and Tom Berenger lead an outfit of misfit Cleveland Indians from last place to a shot at the league pennant against the powerhouse Yankees. Even though the film is a comedy, the final game plays out in dramatic fashion.

"Draft Day" (2014)Kevin Costner brings the stress of the NFL Draft to life as General Manager of the Cleveland Browns Sonny Weaver. As the clock ticks down, the future of his team relies on him making the right decision about a seemingly perfect star quarterback.

“Hoop Dreams” (1994)Steve James’ revolutionary documentary follows inner-city Chicago kids William Gates and Arthur Agee throughout their high-school basketball careers. The film culminates in both striving to reach the finals of their city wide championship tournament.

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Whether it’s the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat, TheWrap recaps the biggest moments in these sports classics

“McFarland, USA” (2015)Kevin Costner follows up a string of beloved sports films, including “Field of Dreams” and “Bull Durham,” with a drama about a cross-country team at a predominantly Latino high school. The film, directed by Niki Caro and produced by Gordon Gray and Mark Ciardi, has real legs as coach Jim White leads the Central Valley runners to the state championships.